There have been a variety of dispensing stoppers marketed to aid the bar tender and make his or her tasks easier and faster. However, in order to accomplish this, the stoppers have loose-fitting closure means or no closure means and if a bottle is inadvertently knocked over or dropped, the liquor leaks out and profits are lost. Additionally, in the event that a bartender wishes to create a show of his or her mixology or showmanship talents, bottles cannot be spun, twisted or juggled in any way because the usual bar stoppers are not equipped with means to prevent the liquid from splashing or spilling out of the bottles. Other available bar stoppers have internal measuring means to regulate the quantity of liquor dispensed. Many experienced bartenders feel that these detract from their expertise in dispensing the correct portion.
There have been patents issued for a variety of dispensing stoppers for liquid containers, but though these have had closing means to prevent spillage, the stoppers have been geared to dispensing measured quantities of liquid, usually medicine doses, and so are of a more complex nature than needed for tavern and bar dispensing.
Pein (U.S. Pat. No. 43,703) taught a measuring nozzle for liquid containers that was filled by inverting the container so the liquid filled the angled nozzle. By turning the container to a hoizontal orientation all but the measured dose was returned to the container and that dose was dispensed when the user depressed a lever and released a stopper covering the nozzle opening.
Arena (U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,660) taught a metering liquid dispensing head or stopper that additionally recorded the number of doses dispensed through the stopper. A trigger articulated with a spring activated rod that controled a sliding member which in turn opened a port permitting liquid to enter the metered stopper when the container was tipped over and the trigger depressed. The same sliding member closed that port and opened the exit spout when the trigger was released. Depressing the trigger also activated a counter so the number changed each time the trigger was utilized.
Another dispensing cap for liquid containers had a cylindrical shaft resting within a helical walled chamber such that the volume of a dose could be varied by turning an indicator knob at the top of the cap. This cap was also filled by tipping the bottle over. When righted, all liquid above the level of the helical wall returned to the bottle. A trigger was used to control a spring activated rod. The measured dose of liquid was caused to exit through a pour spout when the spring valve was activated. (Bunin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,966)
There have been several types of dispensing lids for drinking containers or cups that utilize different types of valves to be opened when the user wishes to drink from the cup. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,408 to Valenzona; U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,992 to Susich; U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,249 to Tuneski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,624 to Sokolowski; and U.S. Pat. No. 55 5,199,597 to Gladish)
There is a need for a removable dispensing stopper that can be used in a variety of bottles that is easy to use and can dispense the quantity of liquid desired by the user and at the same time will prevent leakage and spills if the bottle is inverted or accidently tipped over or dropped. There is a need for such a stopper that fits tightly into the open neck of the bottle, but can easily be removed, cleaned and fitted into another like or similar bottle. There is a need for a stopper with a tightly closed port such that twirling or tossing the bottle will not dislodge the stopper or cause the port to open, but which is readily and easily opened when the user wishes to dispense the liquid.